Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008
- ISSN: 14476185
- ISBN: 0642322090
Abstract
This Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008 report is the 5th global report since the GCRMN (Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network), was formed in 1996 as an operational network of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI). The catalyst for GCRMN was the inability of international agencies to report objectively on the health or otherwise of the worlds coral reefs. The US government then provided initial funding to set up a global network of coral reef workers to facilitate reporting on reef status; and has continued to be the major supporter of GCRMN and ICRI since the first strategies and action plans were developed in 1995. Each report (1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004) has aimed to present the current status of the worlds coral reefs, the threats to the reefs, and the initiatives being undertaken under the umbrella of ICRI to arrest the decline in the worlds coral reefs. These reports have been produced using the data and information from many coral reef experts around the world. For example 372 experts from 96 countries have contributed to this Status report. Many regional, national and local organisations, governmental, academic, NGO and volunteers have supported the functions of GCRMN. The united goal is to inform the global community on the status of coral reefs, the threats to them and, importantly, to list recommendations to improve coral reef conservation. There is widespread recognition that action is needed urgently, not only to conserve the enormous biodiversity on coral reefs, but also to assist local user communities to improve their livelihoods by ensuring the sustainable use of the reefs.
Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008
Coral reefS
of the World:
2008
edited by Clive WilkinSon
Dedication: This book is dedicated to all those people who are working to conserve the coral reefs of the world, either
through doing the monitoring or providing the logistical and financial support – we thank them for their efforts.
Special thanks to those people who wrote and edited these chapters. It is also dedicated to the International Coral
Reef Initiative and partners, especially the Government of the United States operating through the US Coral Reef Task
Force for support for the GCRMN by the US Department of State and the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration.
Note: The conclusions and recommendations of this book are solely the opinions of the authors, contributors and
editors and do not constitute a statement of policy, decision, or position on behalf of the participating organisations,
included those represented on the cover.
Front Cover:
This photo encapsulates the world of coral reefs, in this case in Micronesia where these three boys will be bequeathed
damaged coral reefs. The large blue-green humphead or Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) is now listed as
endangered on Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora), mainly because it is highly prized in Chinese restaurants: photo courtesy of Darren Cameron.
Back Cover:
This is a typical healthy coral reef, in this case Rowley Shoals Marine Park, Western Australia. The corals are abundant
and healthy, and there are large schools of algal grazing fish, especially parrotfish and surgeonfish. No your eyes are
not deceiving you, there is also a ‘tropical’ polar bear (explanation on page 13). The photo © Suzanne Long/Western
Australian Department of Environment and Conservation.
Maps were provided by UNEP-WCMC through ReefBase, The WorldFish Center; we thank them.
Citation: Wilkinson, C. (2008). Status of coral reefs of the world: 2008. Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and Reef
and Rainforest Research Centre, Townsville, Australia, 296 p.
© Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network
c/o Reef and Rainforest Research Centre,
PO Box 772, Townsville, 4810 Australia
Tel: +61 7 47212699; Fax: +61 7 47722808
www.gcrmn.org
ISSN 1447-6185
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